Best of Brazil Community CIC collaborates with CVS Brent to organise a cultural fashion show during London Fashion Week — Rafael dos Santos produces and directs the show.
London, 16 September 2024 — A different fashion show will happen during London Fashion Week. The project We Wear Heritage, coordinated by CVS Brent and funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, brings together 11 communities that make Brent a diverse and inclusive place to live. The project supports Brent organisations in developing and delivering heritage projects locally, capturing and preserving stories about traditional textiles, clothing, or costumes of Brent’s communities and sharing them with the broader community. The communities will present their traditional garments in a fashion show organised by Rafael dos Santos, events producer and director of Best of Brazil Community CIC. The show will take place on September 16th, 2024, at St Mary’s Church in Marylebone, where doors will open to the public at 1 p.m.
This unique fashion show features designs curated to reflect the histories and traditions of Brent’s communities. From the intricate handmade embroidery of Afghan clothing to the vibrant, colourful textiles of Somali attire, each community’s contribution tells a story of cultural identity, tradition, and creativity. Each piece on the catwalk is a living testament to the cultural significance and representation.
The participating communities and projects are:
- Brazil: Evolution of Brazilian Indigenous Outfits
- Afghani: Exhibition of Afghani Regional Clothing, Textiles, and Fabrics
- Chinese Diaspora: We Wear Heritage — Chinese Take Away Message
- Goan Indian: Goan Traditional Clothing
- Caribbean: Made in Brent
- Iraqi: Arabic & Iraqi Folklore Clothing
- African: A Tapestry of Culture: Unravelling The Threads of African Fabric
- Romanian: Threads of Traditions: Romanian Heritage Clothing
- Somali: Exploring Hido iyo Dhaqan Traditional Somali Clothing
- Tamil: Tamil Heritage Records
- Dominica: The WOB Dwiyet & The Jip Traditional Caribbean Costumes
Spotlight on Brazilian Indigenous Fashion
The fashion show will showcase the Mi Moda Indígena collection as a spectacular finale. Organised by Rafael dos Santos, the show was a success in 2023 and returns to London to showcase the designs of seven different Indigenous communities. The cooperative is led by fashion designer Seanny Arts and her daughter, Reby Oliveira. These designs utilise natural materials like tree bark, palm leaf fibre, and fish scales, turning them into stunning, hand-painted garments that embody the spirit of the Amazon Forest.
Rafael says, ‘I am so proud to showcase the designer of our Indigenous people from the Brazilian Amazon region. There are about 35k Brazilian residents in Brent, so it’s an honour for me to showcase our culture to a city that welcomes our heritage’.
For more information about the show, visit the Eventbrite page here.
